The Cleveland Browns addressed the rumors surrounding Deshaun Watson’s Achilles injury that will keep him out for most, if not all, of next season.
Watson injured himself while recovering from his initial Achilles injury, which occured in October against the Bengals. Some speculation remained on the nature of the injury and if it would potentially void Watson’s hefty contract with it happening away from the facility. Browns general manager Andrew Berry assured that was not the case.
“Unfortunately, he turned his foot (or) ankle that caused the re-tear during the normal stages of the recovery process,” Berry said Tuesday. “I know there’s been a lot of speculation and everything out there, but there’s nothing nefarious. It’s just an unfortunate accident. So our focus is on making sure that he gets healthy and can be back to normal.”
The Browns assured that Watson is still working towards a comeback.
“He’s there every day right now,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “I get to see him, so he’s working very hard. Obviously the No. 1 thing for him is to get healthy.
“He’s taking it day to day like all of us do in life. Again, the most important thing, he had a very unfortunate injury, re-injury with having surgery again.”
Browns Uncertain of Timeline for Deshaun Watson’s Return
When Watson will return to the field is still a question. The Browns’ official statement was vague, and Berry was unwilling to speculate on when he could be healthy again.
“How far that spans into 2025, I can’t give you a specific right now,” Berry said Tuesday. “He’s shown to be a fast healer and we’re going to try and be as thoughtful and aggressive with the recovery process, but that’s not something that I could predict at currently.”
A bigger question is whether Watson will play into the Browns’ quarterback equation moving forward. He’s under contract through the 2026 season but Cleveland intends to address its hole at quarterback this offseason, whether through the draft, free agency or a trade.
Watson has posted a 9-10 record as the starter, including a disappointing 1-6 in the team’s most recent campaign. Watson has thrown for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. His struggles were evident this year before the Achilles injury, as the offense failed to score more than 20 points in any game. Watson also did not surpass 200 passing yards in any of his seven starts.
Browns Acknowledge Finding QB Will be Tough
Cleveland’s struggles to find a quarterback are well-documented. Bailey Zappe started the Browns’ season finale, becoming the 40th quarterback to start for Cleveland since 1999. Berry acknowledged that finding their solution at quarterback won’t be easy.
“It’s hard because quarterback is the most impactful position, but it’s also one of the most interconnected positions in the sport,” Berry said. “You talk about decision-making. It’s a position where you’re going to make 50 to 60 decisions a game and probably have a ball in your hand for 45 or 40, but at the same time all 10 people around you have to be able to do their jobs.
“And I would say this: (It is) 10 people on the field, but it’s also the people on the sideline in terms of how you’re building the offense and the scheme around the individual. So there’s just are a number of, I don’t want to use the word complicating factors, but maybe interdependent factors that go into it. So the evaluation process is important, but so is the integration and developmental process as well.”
The Browns have the No. 2 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft.
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